Pennington , James Elwood "Coach P" completed our Lord''s will on December 15, 2014 at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia at the age of 67. Coach P is survived by his wife of 43 years, Denise Y. Pennington, of Clinton, TN; children, James Chadwick Pennington and wife Robin, of Lexington, KY and Andrea Martine Dubois and husband David, of Knoxville, TN; sisters, Carolyn A. Childers and husband Charles, of Axton, VA and Tammy G. Walker and husband Robert, of Fort Walton Beach, FL; grandchildren, Jameson Cole, Robert Luke, and Chadwick Gage Pennington of Lexington, KY, and David Cade and Woods Cross Dubois of Knoxville, TN. Coach P is preceded in death by his parents, James C. and Maudie L. Pennington, of Oceana, WV. Coach Pennington dedicated more than 30 years of his life to teaching, coaching, and mentoring young men and women. After finishing his collegiate career at Bluefield State College and his degree at Marshall University, Coach and Denise chose to make East Tennessee their home in 1975 where they would begin their educational careers. During his 30 years of teaching and coaching, he was blessed to have worked with young men and women at Lake City High School, Clinton Senior High School, Campbell County High School, Halls High School, and the Webb School of Knoxville. During this time, Coach P coached multiple sports including football, basketball, and track and helped guide two football teams to State Championships including Halls High School in 1986 and the Webb School of Knoxville in 1996. Coach Pennington will forever be known as a husband, father, teacher, coach, and friend who led by example with faith, character, and integrity. A Celebration of Life Service is scheduled for Thursday, December 18, at 6:30 p.m. at Faith Promise Church in Knoxville, with receiving of friends immediately following the service. Graveside Memorial Service will be held at Woodhaven Memorial Gardens in Powell, TN Friday, December 19,2014 at 10:00 a.m. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Coach P''s life. The family would like to thank Dr. Jeffrey S. Boruff and Dr. Stephen L. Marietta of Knoxville, TN as well as Dr. Robert T. Cole and the entire staff at Emory University Hospital for their tireless work and dedication to Coach Pennington''s care. Donations can be made to National Foundation for Transplants, James E. "Coach" Pennington fund http://patients.transplants.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=485635&lis=1&supId=403515310&patientPID=16598 . Woodhaven Funeral Home & Memorial Gardens is honored to serve the Pennington family.
